Playstation (yacht)

PlayStation is one of several large catamarans created for the 2000 around the world race known as The Race. Like its competitors, "PlayStation" was created for sheer speed, pushing the state of the art in materials, construction, and operation. PlayStation was skippered and owned by Steve Fossett.

Construction

She was built by Mick Cookson of Cookson Boatworks in Auckland, New Zealand in 1998 to 1999. Her construction was pre-preg carbon fiber laminates in various orientations, with a 38 mm aluminum honeycomb core.

After breaking the 24 hour distance record (583 NM) she suffered a fire while being prepared to be shipped to the US. The cause of the fire was the over-charging of her NiMH batteries, and the damage from the fire required that 26' of her starboard hull be replaced. Remarkably, a portion of the hull was created at the builders which was grafted to the original bow and stern leaving virtually no evidence of the fire.

"PlayStation" was originally launched with hulls of convert|105|ft|m|0 and was lengthened to convert|125|ft|m|0 LOA in August 2000, to minimize pitching. At convert|105|ft|m|0 "PlayStation" was overpowered and the possibility of a pitch pole in a yacht this size warranted the refit. Maximum beam remains at convert|60|ft|m|0 and max draft with daggerboards down is convert|14.7|ft|m|1. She carries convert|7274|sqft|m2|0 of sail upwind, and a total of convert|11631|sqft|m2|0 downwind from her 147.5 foot carbon mast.

Achievements

* The round the world sailing record of 58 days 9 hours 32 minutes and 45 seconds; the 24 hour distance run of convert|687.17|nmi|km|2 at an average speed of 28.63 knots on October 6th and 7th, 2001
* Transatlantic record of in a time of 4 days, 17 hours, 28 minutes, and 6 seconds on October 5th to the 10th, 2001, with a total distance of convert|2925|nmi|km|0 at an average speed of 25.78 knots.
* "PlayStation" was renamed "Cheyenne" in 2003, prior to setting the current round the world sailing record.

References

* [http://www.stevefossett.com/ The Steve Fossett Challenge]
* [http://www.morrellimelvin.com/playstation/index.html Morelli & Melvin Design & Engineering]
* [http://www.latitude38.com/features/playstat.htm Steve Fosset's PlayStation] article from [http://www.latitude38.com/ Latitude 38] magazine

ee also

*List of large sailing yachts

External links

* [http://www.parc.xerox.com/cms/get_article.php?id=540 Adventure of a Lifetime] - A talk by Chuck Hawley, who sailed on the Playstation